Warfare Always Surrounds The Birth Of A Miracle

WARFARE ALWAYS SURROUNDS THE BIRTH OF A MIRACLE

Acts 26:17-18

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A Man woke up and said nothing. His Wife, annoyed, shouted, “You’ve forgotten what day it is, haven’t you!” He went to work and confided to a colleague, “I think I forgot my wife’s birthday.”

2. “Not a problem,” his friend told him. “Just go out and buy her a beautiful new dress and a pearl necklace.” So after work he raced home and showered his wife with gifts.

3. “Oh darling,” she replied, “what a beautiful new outfit to pick my mother up from the airport in.”

B. TEXT

“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:17-18.

C. THESIS

1. Since the beginning of time, wars have been fought because of some valuable – land, salt, diamonds, spices, oil, or to control people. There’s a war going on in the spiritual realm for the souls and lives of men and women.

2. If you’re a Christian, you’re in a battle every day! And upon this battle depends your joy, overcoming sin, happiness in your marriage, and the wellbeing of your children! The problem: most Christians don’t realize this fact of life, and too many of us are asleep in the barracks rather than being active on the battlefield!

3. That’s the subject of this message, “Warfare Always Surrounds The Birth of a Miracle.”

I. WHY IS THERE WARFARE?

A. GOD IS GOOD & WANTS TO BLESS US

1. God is a good God. He loves us and wants to bless us, to redeem us, and to work miracles. Psalm 77:14 says, “You are the God who performs miracles!” God’s normal way of working is through miracles.

2. God wants to bring a miracle to birth in your life! Some laugh at the idea of the possibility of miracles. They argue that miracles are a violation of natural laws, and therefore unreasonable to believe in.

3. Belief in miracles is easy -- if you believe that God exists and that He created the universe. If there’s a God who intervenes in history, then the Flood of Noah, the parting of the Red Sea, the virgin birth, Peter walking on water, feeding 5,000 people with a boy’s lunch, and the other biblical miracles, become not only possible, but expected.

B. SATAN WANTS TO HINDER GOD’S WORK

1. He’s always attempted to stop God bringing help and deliverance. Think of all those who were barren and then bore a child of destiny later in life: 1). Abram & Sarah – Isaac; 2). Elkanah & Hannah – Samuel; Manoah & wife – Samson; Zechariah & Elizabeth – John the Baptist.

2. There was warfare around Joseph (vision & brother’s betrayal into slavery) and Jacob.

3. Rev. 12 – woman about to give birth to Man-child (Messiah) & the dragon is waiting to devour the child. Herod tried to kill the child Jesus.

4. Pharaoh, around the time of Moses, put to death all the Israelite baby boys, by having them cast into the river. It had been nearly 400 years, the time specified by God to bring Israel out of Egypt (Gen. 15:13-16). So Satan knew a Deliverer would arise and tried to kill Moses before he could gain manhood. But he didn’t succeed.

II. POSITIVE PERSPECTIVES ON WARFARE

A. WARFARE CAN BE A GOOD SIGN

1. The very presence of warfare may be a good sign instead of a bad one, since it indicates that a miracle or deliverance is near.

2. We should be encouraged when warfare/ opposition arises: something good is about to happen, or the devil wouldn’t be fighting so hard to keep us from it.

3. People don’t put up scarecrows unless there’s something valuable they don’t want the birds to have!

4. Remember that between you and your blessing, a hindrance stands. Between you and your promotion, marriage, career, health, your boss etc. a hindrance stands. The enemy whispers empty threats; you will soon die, be sacked, divorced, fail, be demoted, get cancer etc.

5. Just remember that the devil is the father of lies and that when he speaks lies, he’s speaking his native language. So this that whatever he’s saying to you, the opposite is true. So fear not, God says, “There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel!” Num. 23:23, NIV1984.

B. THE BIGGER THE WARFARE THE BIGGER THE BLESSING

1. The bigger the blessing God intends, the greater the warfare that the enemy will wage to stop it. But be encouraged; the Lord of Hosts is with us! The Lion of Judah says that you shall be head and not tail!